Controlling device for elevators



(No Model.)- I 3 Shets- 8heet 1.

c. E. FOSTER. GONTROLLING DEVIGE FOR ELEVATORS.

No. 464,278. Patented Dec. 1 1891.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No ModeL) 0. E. FOSTER. GONTROLLING DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

Patented Dec. 1,1891.

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GPE. POSTER. CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS- 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

Patented Dec. 1, 1891.

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UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. FOSTER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO THENATIONAL COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,278, dated December1, 1891.

Application filed August 10, 1891. Serial No. 402,288- (No model.)

in Controlling Devices for Elevators, of which the following is aspecification.

In elevating apparatus as now constructed the stopping and startingdevice, the movements of which determine the movements or position ofthe cage, is frequently operated from the cage through the medium of one'or more cables traveling around supporting-pulleys and connected withthe cage or appurtenances thereof, or through the medium of twosuspended cables hanging adjacent to the cage and operated upon byappliances carried by the cage. XVhile these means of operat ing thestopping and starting device are effective in securing the propermovements and adjustments of such device, they are objectionable fromthe length of cables required and from the greater or'less complexity,

weight, and expanse of the connecting parts, and to avoid theseobjections and to secure advantages which cannot be, obtained withordinary constructions I provide means for operating the stopping andstarting device, so as to regulate all the movements of the latter andof the cage through the medium of a single cable suspended from orconnected with a fixed attachment or support, as fully set forthhereinafter, and as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which-Figure 1 is a side view of sufficient of an elevating apparatus toillustrate my improvement. Fig. 2 is a view of the parts shown in Fig.1, the valve in section. Fig. 3 is a side view illustrating amodification.

The cage A is constructed for passengers or freight in any suitablemanner and is operated from the engine B, which may be a hycage. Thisstopping and starting device may be a valve in the case of a steam orhydraulic motor, or it maybe a switch in the case of an I electromotor.Thus in the construction shown in Fig. 1 the controlling device C is avalve device of any well-known or suitable constructionas, for instance,that shown in Letters Patent No. 306,097,-granted to Otis and SmithOctober 7, 1884, in which the turning of a shaft m is the means ofsetting in position a pilot-valve that regulates the position of apiston connected to move the main valve of the apparatus, or an ordinaryhydraulic valve may be used, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3 the stopping and starting device Chas a switch connected with a shaftm and serving to break the circuitwhen in its normal or mid position and to. cut out resistances whenswung to either side, the completion of the circuit in one direction orthe other imparting movement in one direction or the other to thearmature of the machine, as set forth in Letters Patent granted to Otisand Smith January 13, 1891, No. 444,640.

As the special details of construction of the stopping and startingdevice are not material, provided it has the functions hereinbefore setforth, and as such devices are well known, it is not necessary to moreparticularly describe the same.

With the cage and with the stoppingand starting deviceI combine aconnecting means embodying a single cable D, connected at one end to astationary support-as, for instance, toan eyebolt 2, from which thecable is suspended within the well so as to hang in a position inproximity to one side of the cage, and the other end of said cableconnected with the stopping and starting device in such manner that thecable is always partly contracted when the stopping and starting deviceis inits mid or normal position, and by pulling upon or relaxingthecable at any point beyond its point of attachment to the eyebolt,according to the position of the cage, proper movements will be impartedto the stopping and starting device. Thus in the construction shown inFigs. 1 and 2 the cable is secured to the periphery of a pulley 3 uponthe shaft m of the stopping and starting device by winding it, as

usual, around the periphery of saidpulley and fastening. it at any pointby a jam-screw or other fastening device 20, and a weight 5 is hung to ashort cable also connected by a jam-screw or other fastening device 21to the periphery of the said pulley, so as to tend to turn the pulley inthe direction of the arrow, whereby any draft upon the cable will turnthe pulley in the reverse direction, and the weight will serve as ameans of restoring the parts to position after it is relaxed. The shaftm is geared. with a shaft m by gears, (shown in dotted lines,) andapinion t on the shaft m gears with a rack s on the valvestem, and,referring to Fig. 3, the wheel 3' upon the shaft m of the switcha:(shown in dotted lines) has secured to its periphery by jam-screws 2324-cables D and 4, and from the latter hangs aweight 5, as in'Fig. 1. Ineach construction when the pulley is turned to-its extreme position inone direction-the stopping and starting device willbe so set thattheengine and the cage willmove in one direction, and when the saiddevice is set toits extreme position in the opposite direction a reversemovement will be imparted tothe engine and the cage, and when the deviceis brought to a normal or mid position the engine and the cage will bearrested. It therefore follows that in operating the cable D'it must becontracted to one extent to bring the stopping and starting device toits midposition to stop the cage, to a greater extent to bring thedevice to its extreme position in one direction to start the cage oneway, and wholly relaxed to allow the said device to assume its extremeposition in the opposite direction to start the cage in another way, andthat by imparting these movements to the cable and varying their extentall of the adjustments of the said device necessary to regulate thedirection and speed of all the movements of the cage may be effectedthrough the medium of the single cableas the result of the force appliedto draw upon or contract itin one direction and the power drawing uponor contracting the cable beyond I its fixed end. In Figs. 1 and 2 saidappliances consist of three pulleys 6 7 8, the pulleys 6 and 7 turningupon fixed studs at the side of the cage and the pulley 8 being movableand arranged upon the opposite side of the cable, so that by carryingthe pulley 8 to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the cable may bewholly relaxed to start the cage in one direction, and, as shown, bycarrying the pulley Stoward and between the pulleys 6 7 the cable may bedrawn upon or contracted to a greater or less extent to slow or stop thepage, and then to a further extent to start the cagein the oppositedirection.

The movable pulley is operated by any suitable operating device J withinthe cage. For instance, said device may be in the form of a lever, asshown inFigs. 1 and '2, connected with a short shaft 9, extendingthrough the cage, serving as a stud for the pulley 7, and to whichisconnected an arm 10, carrying the pulley 8; In the construction shown inFig. 3 the operating device J is a wheel within the cage secured to-ashaft extendinginto the cage and supporting a lever 12, carrying twopulleys 13 and 14,.round and between which the cable extends, as shown.

In order that the weight 5 may act effectively to avoid sudden or abruptmovements and described, I clai-m The combination of an elevator-engineprovided with a stopping, and starting device normally occupying amid-position when the cage is at rest, means, as-a weight, for movingsaid device in one direction, a single suspended operating-cableconnected with said device, and a cable-operating device'arranged uponthe cage to occupy a mid-position with the cable partly contracted whenthe cage isat rest, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I- have signed my name to this specification inthe'presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES E. FOSTER.

Witnesses:

F. L. FREEMAN, G. P. KRAMER.

